We Speak Entertainment
MULTI-PLATINUM SELLING HILLSONG WORSHIP WINS FIRST-EVER GRAMMY® AWARD FOR POWERHO– USE SONG “WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NAME”
Hillsong Worship won its first GRAMMY® Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for their genre-smashing single, “What A Beautiful Name” that continues to be the fastest growing song in modern church history (112 million views on YouTube). The category, created in 2015, recognizes both songwriters and performers. “What A Beautiful Name,” recorded in 2016, was written by the worship collective‘s Brooke Ligertwood (formerly Brooke Fraser) and Ben Fielding who represented the group in accepting the award, which was among those handed out on-stage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. The song won out over competing selections from Casting Crowns, Natalie Grant, and MercyMe.
“We are so thrilled that a song about the Name who is most dear to us was honored with a GRAMMY award this year!,” Ligertwood, who accepted the award with Fielding on stage inside Madison Square Garden, New York, ahead of the main ceremony, said.
“We feel humbled by the opportunity to represent our wider team and church at such a prestigious occasion that rightly celebrates all music. The reach and impact of ‘What a Beautiful Name‘ has been encouraging and truly and honor. We seek to write songs that can genuinely connect the hearts of people with the heart of God through worship, and the connection this song seems to have made can only be by the grace of God.”
“No matter how far or close you feel to God or no matter how great the distance His love is greater, His name is more powerful, more wonderful, more beautiful than any other,” Fielding said.
“With a 25+ year legacy of writing and recording songs for believers everywhere, we recognize that we are walking on a path foraged by the dedicated and devoted songwriters and worship leaders building our team, church and this legacy before us, which began with our pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston, and their fearless commitment to the new song and the next generation,” Ligertwood added.
With more than 20 million career album sales and over 1.5 billion career streams, Australia-based Hillsong Worship has helped shape praise & worship over the last two decades through its catalog of songs that continue to be sung by an estimated 50 million churchgoers worldwide each week. Their award-winning single “What A Beautiful Name” spent nine consecutive weeks at#1 atop the National Christian Audience radio chart and remains the #1 most consumed track in Christian music. Concurrently, the single was named Billboard’s No. 1 Hot Christian Song of the Year topping its Hot Christian Songs chart (which blends airplay, streaming and sales data) on Feb. 25, holding strong in the No. 1 position for 34 weeks (through the chart dated Feb. 3, 2018).
“From the early days of Hillsong Church, having an environment that encourages the new song has been part of our DNA,” adds Brian Houston, global senior pastor of Hillsong Church. “It is humbling that these songs frequently resonate across the globe and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that a song that is all about the name which is above every other name, the name of Jesus, is the song that has been honored this year with a GRAMMY Award win. Congratulations to Brooke and Ben for writing such a beautiful and heartfelt song.”
With unprecedented record sales and numerous award accolades, Hillsong Worship continues to impact millions worldwide with its chart-topping catalog of songs.
Their recent GRAMMY Award win accompanies a host of other honors bestowed this past year including being named Billboard’s Top Christian Artist of 2017 as well as its Top Christian Duo/Group.
About Hillsong Worship:
With a catalog sung by an estimated 50 million people worldwide each week, Hillsong Worship is passionate about equipping and mobilizing believers everywhere with Christ-centered songs of God-glorifying worship for the building of the Church. For almost three decades, Hillsong Worship has served people across nations and generations, travelling the world leading diverse expressions of the Church in the worship of Jesus. By God’s grace its “local church” worship songs such as “Shout To The Lord,” “Mighty To Save,” “Hosanna,” “Cornerstone,” “Forever Reign,” “Broken Vessels” and “This I Believe (The Creed)” have become the songs of churches all over the globe, in addition to finding a place in the personal devotion of individual believers everywhere. Their latest projects, “Let There Be Light,” “What A Beautiful Name EP,” and “Christmas: The Peace Project” are available now.
For more information, please visit:
Website: hillsong.com/worship
Facebook: facebook.com/hillsongworship
Twitter: twitter.com/hillsongworship
Instagram: instagram.com/hillsongworship
Newark, NJ– The 24 Hours of Peace event, hosted by Mayor Ras J. Baraka was nothing short of electrifying. As the crowd funneled in, in droves, Newark’s own Zaraye took the stage and would deliver a performance that had the crowd and social media buzzing.
You felt the crowd’s palpable anticipation as some of us had first-row seats to watch her rehearse in the background before hitting the stage– and Zaraye more than lived up to the hype.
Making an immediate statement with her eccentric fashion choice– a sleek black leather jacket and top paired with a striking lime green plaid skirt. Zaraye’s edgy leather and vibrant plaid combo came together perfectly to showcase her unique style, fashion background and ensured to turn plenty of heads before she even dropped the beat to her first song.
Kicking off her set with her eagerly awaited single “23 Remix”, produced by Jersey’s own Kamillion, her vocals excited the crowd. As she and her background dancers, mirrored in her lime green and black color palate, delivered the high-energy, precise choreography crafted under the direction of her creative director, American rapper and choreographer, Sharaya J, phones shot into the air as fans were eager to capture every moment of the captivating routines.
The momentum continued to build as she transitioned into “Bougie”. Between Zaraye’s confident delivery and the dancers’ dynamic movements, the energy was on another level, showing an undeniable connection between Zaraye and her audience.
By the time her performance ended, social media was already buzzing and one thing was clear, she had made a positive impression on those attending the 24 Hours Of Peace event. The crowd raved about her standout moment with praises from her style to her stage presence and the electric atmosphere she created.
“I came out to the 24 Hours of Peace event to see one of my favorite artists, Honey Bxby. I was left excited to follow the journey of Zaraye. I think she will be a star soon too, Jersey stand up” said Jennifer Richardson– a 25 year old woman from Newark.
Zaraye performing Bougie at 24 Hours of Peace- Photo Courtesy of @nortographynyc 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Former NBA Player Lance Stephenson 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Lola Brooks performing at 24 Hours of Peace 
Zaraye behind the scenes at 24 Hours of Peace- Photo Courtesy of @craigmartinpr
Zaraye’s performance was an amazing showcase of her amazing blend between music, fashion and choreography. She truly showcased herself as not only an upcoming talent but a formidable artist on the rise in the music industry. As videos of her performance continue to spread online, it will be pretty clear soon, her name will only get bigger from here.
The 24 Hrs of Peace event that took place on Friday and Saturday culminated a Peace Week in the city of Newark that started Friday, Aug. 17 and included an Artist Against Violence concert Wednesday, Aug. 21 at Newark Symphony Hall’s Terrace Ballroom on Broad Street.
“We fuse the power of hip-hop music and spoken word to lift, heal, and inspire peace in our city, empowering every resident in that process, and bringing healing, hope and happiness into everyday life,” Baraka of 24 Hrs of Peace said in a statement. “During this 24 Hrs of Peace, we celebrate the reality that women are at the center of our city’s evolution as a model of peace, progress and prosperity.”
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